Predator
by hacchan
Summary: Ikoma was being hunted... Ikoma x Mumei -Oneshot-


**Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction using the world and characters from Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress produced by Wit Studio. No infringement is intended in any way and this story is not for profit.**

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**Japanese language notes:**

**Hayajiro**: trains built to protect people and goods, as well as providing mobility

**Koutetsujyo**: iron fortress

**Bushi**: warriors trained to fight the Kabane and protect other citizens

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A crisp wind rippled through the trees, sending autumn leaves shivering through the air. The sky was a bright blue with puffy clouds scudding lazily across its surface. It seemed like the perfect day to stretch out on the grass and devour a good book.

The hayajiro, Koutetsujyo, had chugged to a stop alongside a particularly picturesque mountain spot to give its inhabitants the rare chance to relax and enjoy the scenery. The landscape seemed ablaze with the fiery red and orange maple leaves that carpeted the hills. Mumei and Ikoma, along with a handful of bushi had cleared out any lingering kabane that happened to be in the area, allowing the passengers to disembark, stretch, and breathe in the fresh mountain air safely. As luck would have it, the kabane seemed very sparse in the area. Generally, they were drawn toward heavily populated zones, their thirst for fresh blood insatiable.

_I guess we should be thankful kabane don't stop to admire the scenery_, Ikoma smiled to himself. After helping mop up the lingering kabane presence around the hayajiro, he had snuck off to steal a quiet moment to himself. _Not that I mind the noise, generally_.

A brilliant red leaf flickered at the corner of his vision. _That reminds me of someone_, he mused to himself and felt the heat of a blush race up his neck to stain his cheeks. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts and refocus. Ikoma had been in the middle of writing some new observations about kabane behavior in Takumi's old notebook. But a certain someone kept rising up in his thoughts. "Mumei…", Ikoma whispered out loud.

As if in response, the wind rose up behind him in a rush, pulling the leaves along behind it like flaming marionettes. _I'm getting nowhere with this, _he sighed, folding up his notebook. He had been sitting cross-legged in the grass, but now he stretched out with a yawn and laid down with his hands behind his head. _I might as well take advantage of the scenery like everyone else. Who knows when I'll have another chance to enjoy a view like this?_

Ikoma breathed deeply, eyeing the clouds drifting overhead. _It's so peaceful, _he thought to himself and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.

Light footsteps in the grass, enhanced by his keen kabaneri hearing, caused Ikoma's eyes to snap open. _Someone is nearby_. Their tread was stealthy. _If I wasn't kabaneri, there's no way I would have been able to hear them. _Ikoma took a moment to appreciate the strength his newfound identity wrought him. But only a moment, as whoever it was drew closer.

_I'm being hunted, _he realized. _This is like when a predator stalks its prey in the wild._ Ikoma sniffed the air, trying to catch a scent, but whoever was had already taken measures to prevent it by maintaining a presence downwind.

The wind sighed through the leaves and he realized that somehow, they had gotten above him in the branches. _ How could I have let this happen? I should know by now that I can't ever let my guard down. _He berated himself mentally. _At least, I don't think I've given away that I'm aware of their presence. _Although he had opened his eyes, the rest of his body had remained inert, taunt and focused as he was with his expanding extrasensory perception. Ikoma smoothly shut his eyes again and tried to affect a quintessential peacefully sleeping look.

It must have worked because whoever was stalking him leapt down softly from the tree and approached him cautiously on tip-toe. Ikoma had to consciously smother his grin of satisfaction. Whenever his attacker made their move, he was ready, muscles tightly coiled to spring. Instead of a helpless, sleeping victim, they would be facing a souped-up kabaneri enhanced warrior. _Or at least that's the plan, _he thought.

_And thus, the predator becomes the prey. _As the shadow of his stalker washed over his face, Ikoma leaped up, grabbing their arms and attempting to pin them to their sides. Although surprised, his attacker fought back surprisingly well. Ikoma found himself tumbling to the ground with her. _Her? _His startled brain asked. And indeed, it was a her.

Ikoma still had a firm grip on her arms as they rolled through the grass, finally landing with him pinning her down. "Mumei," he breathed out loud, triumphant.

She squirmed in his arms, face turning a brilliant red, but Ikoma held her down fast. Not enough to hurt her, he was very conscious of that. Just enough so that she couldn't slip between his fingers and disappear like an autumn leaf on the wind. "I've finally caught you!" He grinned down at her.

It's true, Mumei had been hunting him for the past few weeks now. She would seem to appear out of nowhere, throw him off guard, kiss him while his eyes were still widening with surprise and then vanish again without a trace. _Trying to track her down when she doesn't want to be found is like trying to scoop water in your bare hands, _he had realized.

It had started shortly after the battle of Unato. Mumei had given him the beautiful gift that she had made herself, a glittering yellow stone sewn into a glove that he could wear. And then she had tricked him, telling him the pattern on the stone moved if you watched it closely enough. While Ikoma had been staring intensely at the glittering pebble, Mumei had slipped in. Soft and light like a butterfly's wing, she pressed her warm lips to his and then slipped away before he even had a chance to react.

Since then, she had ambushed him several more times. Ikoma was never able to see them coming. Once, he had been passing from one train car on the hayajiro to another. Mumei had been waiting for him just on the opposite side of the door. As it slid open, he felt the gentle brush of her lips on his before she melted away like smoke. Only the lingering taste of watermelon lollipops, her favorite flavor, convinced him that it wasn't a dream.

Another time he had been exiting a strategy meeting with Princess Ayame and Kurusu. The squat thatch building they had been using had a particularly short roof. As he followed behind the pair, Mumei had been curled on the roof, waiting. Just as Ikoma exited the building, she leaned over the doorframe, her nose bumped against his and the taste of watermelon lollipops filled his mouth once more.

Ikoma had gasped out loud that time in shock. Ayame and Kurusu turned to look back at him, curious as he turned red-faced and stammered. "D-Did you just see…?" At Kurusu's raised eyebrow, Ikoma looked away, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "Never mind," he sighed. Ayame started to say something, but with a glance at Kurusu's expression, she closed her mouth again and shrugged, smiling.

Since then, Ikoma was determined to catch her. His little lioness. But actually, achieving it had proved much more difficult than he could have imagined. Ikoma still wasn't sure if anyone else on the Koutetsujyo was in on it. He half suspected Kajika and couldn't even completely rule out Ayame from having some kind of role in this scheme.

_Mumei was skilled, but could none of them really have noticed? Especially since Mumei seemed to have taken Kajika into her confidence. And then there were all these convenient times where he found himself suddenly alone in the midst of a bustling hayajiro. You'd have to live on a crowded train during a zombie apocalypse to truly appreciate how rare that was. No, someone was definitely in on it. Probably multiple someones and it wasn't making his goal of catching her any easier._

When the train had stopped to take in the autumn leaves, it had been Ikoma's suggestion. "We could all use a break and a few minutes time away from the kabane in this sparsely populated region." Everyone had been open to his idea at once. Ayame even clapped her hands with delight. Even before the kabane had appeared, autumn leaf viewing had been popular in Japan. Now in these turbulent times, living through another year and getting to see them again was even more precious.

Carefully Ikoma had baited his trap, slipping away quietly to an isolated area in the hopes of drawing his quarry out. It had worked like a charm. No longer able to dissipate like mist, his lioness was trapped beneath him.

Ikoma didn't want to admit how much her brief caresses had unnerved him. Each of her kisses lit a fire in his belly that could only be quenched by having more. More kisses. More touch. More of her warm soft skin against his.

He didn't want to scare her. Ikoma knew that though Mumei was forced to grow up at a young age in some sense, much of her childlike nature was still there. These games were a prime example. She didn't realize just how much she provoked him with her painfully brief but intimate contact.

_Take it easy, _he chided himself. _You don't want to scare her. _

The girl in question had given up struggling in his arms, but was still breathing heavily. He could feel her chest rising and falling against him. She had stubbornly turned her head away from him looking at some fixed point in the distance.

"Mumei," he said softly.

She huffed and glared at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Don't be like that," he chided and nuzzled her neck gently with his nose. She left out a squeak of surprise as a flush crept up her throat. "You don't know how hard it was for me to catch you. Not being able to hold you was driving me crazy."

She turned her head to face him then, an impish grin spreading across her lips. Ikoma leaned forward, toward that inviting smile.

Mumei's eyes widened and her smile was chased away by something like nervousness and anticipation all bundled in one.

"Mumei, can I kiss you?" Ikoma whispered. She could feel his breath ghost her lips and goosebumps rose on her skin. She closed her eyes, with a nearly imperceptible yes.

Ikoma sent another a silent thank you heavenward for his kabaneri-enhanced hearing and lowered his lips gently onto hers. At first, his lips were soft, questioning. Ikoma wanted to see what she was comfortable with, without pressing her too far.

Mumei was a quick learner, he realized. She mimicked his movements back, raising herself onto her elbows underneath him. That watermelon sweetness was there but underneath it was something even more tantalizing. Something warm and sweet. The taste of her mouth.

Ikoma wanted so badly to taste it more. _Easy! _He commanded himself. Ikoma would never be able to forgive himself if he hurt Mumei or took advantage of her. Cautiously, he sent his tongue questing along her lower lip.

Mumei squealed and pulled back.

"I'm sorry!" Ikoma gasped. "Mumei, I'm sorry. I get it. No tongue." _You idiot! _He mentally berated himself. _What were you thinking?_

"No, it's alright," Mumei clutched his arm gently. "I was just surprised. I'd… I'd like to try again." Ikoma could feel the heat radiating off of her and his heart swelled at the passion filling her eyes.

"Only if you're sure it's alright," he said seriously.

She nodded vigorously, making him smile. "But you might have to teach me," she said shyly.

Ikoma chuckled. "It's nice to be able to teach you for a change. "A memory of his first sparing session with Mumei rose to his mind. _How far they had come together since then!_ He looked down at her with affection. "Probably the most pleasant lessons I'll ever get a chance to give." He could feel his mind start to turn to other lesson topics to look forward to and diligently forced them from his thoughts. _It was definitely too early for that_.

"It starts with a kiss." Ikoma pressed a kiss into her throat, just above her fluttering pulse. "And then you just let it flow naturally from there." He made a trail of kisses down to her collarbone, sometimes sucking gently on her skin. Mumei moaned and curled her toes in delight.

Gaging her reaction, Ikoma traced his tongue back up her throat and along the ridge of her jawline. Mumei gasped, and he pulled back immediately.

"It's alright, really." She said in a rush. Her hands curled around his neck, pulling him closer. "It feels nice."

He cupped her face in his hands and searched her eyes to see if she was genuinely ok. The intensity in her eyes made his heart quicken. He could feel the blood rushing through his veins and he just wanted to drink in the sight of her prettily flushed face.

"Ikoma," she whined and then smacked him on the arm. "I'm serious. It's alright. It's just…new."

"Patience," he whispered into the shell of her ear. "Some things shouldn't be rushed. Now, where was I? Right about here." He nibbled gently on her earlobe and left a searing trail with his tongue, slowly tracing the line of her jaw towards her mouth. _Gods, she tastes so good_, was his last coherent thought. Then his mouth was on hers and they became a tangle of hot moist heat as the passion of their kiss consumed them.

Mumei ran her fingers through his hair, tracing her tongue along the roof of his mouth. It drove Ikoma wild and he crushed her against him drinking her in. His hands traced along the soft skin of her back and she let out a moan of pleasure. A growing feeling of warmth crept from her toes, up her legs, and built in her stomach like a furnace of searing passion. It felt so good.

Mumei had never known such joy. She half expected her body to fly apart, unable to contain so much happiness. There was nothing in her realm of experience to compare it to as Ikoma's warm, soft tongue assailed her senseless under the bright autumn leaves.

Ikoma. Kind, smart, handsome Ikoma, who had taught her that even the weak can find the strength to survive. She loved him. She knew it to the very core of her being, even if she wasn't ready to put it to words spoken out loud just yet. But she would. Ikoma, who had saved her from being a human sacrifice in Biba's schemes. Ikoma who cherished her for who she was and not what she could do. She loved him and always would.

When the signal whistle blew calling everyone back to the train, Mumei and Ikoma broke apart reluctantly. Ikoma sat up with a sigh and rubbed his arm. Glancing down at love of his life, he took in her disheveled appearance and let out a chuckle. "Mumei, here. You have leaves in your hair."

She huffed at him and pretended to pout but was secretly pleased as his fingers combed gently through her hair picking out the leaves. "Don't think I can't see you hiding that smile." He chided her with fake sternness, eliciting a smirk from his companion.

He stood up, dusting himself off and then lowered a hand to help Mumei up. She twined her fingers through his and they made their way back to the Koutetsujyo, smoke roiling from its boiler as it prepared to depart.

In his pocket, Ikoma had carefully nestled one of the leaves he had pulled from Mumei's hair. Later that night he pressed it carefully between the pages of his notebook with the date and this simple inscription. "Today was an amazing day."

The End


End file.
